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Beginner 1: Photoshop Workspace

When you first open photoshop it can be very confusing. I'll go over the different areas separately, but here's a general overview:

The drop down menus have lots of stuff in them, and you'll gradually learn where to find things. The tool bar on the left shows what tool you are currently using. In the picture above you can see that the arrow is highlighted. Depending on what tool you are using different options will be shown in the options bar. The last area are the palettes. There are many palettes that you can choose to display here. You may have different ones than me, and that's okay. Next I'll show you how to change your palettes.

All my tutorials are done in Photoshop since that's what I use and what I know. The older tutorials are probably done in CS5 and the newer ones are in CS6. Hopefully down the road we'll have tutorials covering other programs.

I've only ever used Photoshop, so I can't compare it to PSE, as for the newest version of Photoshop, they always add a few cooler features, but if you wanted to save money by buying an older version I don't think you'd be sorry.

i have Photoshop in my Macbook and you are right, it is very confusing when you first open it. I'm looking forward to reading everyone of these tutorials and i hope i will later on feel like i know what i'm doing and not just guessing all the time!

I use PSE12 and CS5 and have found they are relatively the same. There are obvious differences and CS5 is more in depth. I don't mind elements because I know a little more about it having used it longer than CS but thats what my course is for to teach me more.......

Sorry Marisa - just saw the answer above. Photoshop is cost prohibitive, and I have Photoshops Elements 10 in a box that I have never used. The recoloring of gray scale items to a color of our choice - it that something that we can do with Photoshop Elements?? Thank you - love you site!

I have Photoshop Elements 14. I am overwhelmed when I open it and am a little scared to use it, however I need to tutorials that are simple like this, but very clear. I am moving on to Beginner 2,3, & 4. Thank you.